It has long been recognized that it would be desirable in many industries and arts to provide a lubricating product which would be capable of releasing lubricant over a prolonged period of time under use conditions. For example, self-lubricating bearings are of great value in the automotive, aviation and other industries. It has also been recognized that it would be highly desirable for such lubricants to be self-supporting, i.e. to have sufficient inherent mechanical strength to actually constitute or at least form a sort of the lubricating structure.